Muzaffarnagar riots: UP government to challenge acquittal of 14 accused in rape and murder case

Muzaffarnagar: UP government would challenge the acquittal of 14 accused in two gang rape and murder cases related to the 2013 riots here.

"We have been sent recommendation for filing appeals in two riots cases in which 14 accused-- four in a gang rape case and ten in a double murder case-- were acquitted by the lower courts due to lack of evidence here," district government counsel Dushyant Tyagi told PTI on Wednesday.

Muzaffarnagar riots. AP

He said that the four accused in the gangrape case were acquitted by the fast track court on January 21 while 10 accused were acquitted in the double murder case by a sessions court this month.

The district authorities have decided to file appeals in the high court against the orders of acquittal of the accused and the "drafts" have been sent to the state government. The appeals would be filed in the High Court very soon. Meanwhile, the state government has taken serious view of "poor pleadings" in riots cases and asked the district magistrate to start monitoring them.

An assistant government counsel has been relieved from the post due to unsatisfactory performance. The 2013 communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and surroundings districts left over 60 people dead and thousands displaced.